Thyroid and the Iodine Bully

Thyroid disorders are at an all-time high – and iodine deficiency is the TOP reason. Contrary to what you may believe, iodine, an essential mineral, is not prevalent in our foods – unless you are eating a lot of raw sea weed and algae.

The iodine you do consume is likely being blocked by iodine inhibitors present in your processed food and even your hygiene. Per the Women’s Health Institute of Texas, “Iodine is fairly easily displaced from your body by toxins called toxic halides… fluoride, bromine and chloride.

Fluoride is by far the worst culprit. Found in toothpaste and in your water supply, every time you take a shower, brush your teeth or drink from the tap, your body gets a little exposure to fluoride, leeching out good iodine. And contrary to popular belief, fluoridated water is actually rather poor at preventing tooth decay.
Why is it in our water supply? Poor science combined with corporate greed and political ignorance paved the way. Basically a toxic by-product of aluminum production, fluoridation was sold as a way to prevent cavities because some areas with natural fluoride in the water also had lower instances of tooth decay. Based upon that spurious observation, fluoridation began. ^29 30 
Then there’s bromine, an endocrine disruptor that competes for the same receptors that capture iodine. Essentially, bromine crowds out iodine.
How prevalent is bromine? Consider this, every time you bite into a piece of store bought bread, you’re probably ingesting some bromine. It’s used to make bread dough more elastic and thus easier to handle, but not by very much.”

The article goes on to site products containing bromine…in addition to store bought bread, your citrus flavored drinks (including Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Sun Drop, Squirt, Fresca), hair dyes, medicines (such as Atrovent Inhaler, Atrovent Nasal Spray, Pro-Banthine for ulcers, and anesthesia agents), pesticides, pastas (for the same reason it is used in bread dough I suppose) toothpaste, mouthwash, fire retardant fabrics, swimming pools, hot tubs, and even your car.  (crazy, huh?) Be aware that bromine may be used in the very same spa you go to to detox – now is that counterproductive, or what?! In addition, plastics – such as those used to make computers, contain bromine…ha, guess what I am typing on?!

Bromine is a natural element…which again, reiterates that just because something is natural does not mean it is good for you…mineral oil and glutamate are tops on my mental list.

Dr. Joe Mercola states in an article on the same topic: “methyl bromide is used as a pesticide predominantly on California strawberries; Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) is used in citrus drinks to help suspend the flavoring, and potassium bromate is used as a dough conditioner in bakery goods and pastas.”

Mercola goes on to describe - Bromine as The Bully of the Halide Group. “When you ingest or absorb bromine, it displaces iodine, and this iodine deficiency leads to an increased risk for cancer of the breast, thyroid gland, ovary and prostate -- cancers that we see at alarmingly high rates today. This phenomenon is significant enough to have been given its own name -- the Bromide Dominance Theory. Aside from its effects on your endocrine glands, bromine is toxic in and of itself. Bromide   builds up in your central nervous system and results in many problems. It is a central nervous system depressant and can trigger a number of psychological symptoms such as acute paranoia and other psychotic symptoms.”  

http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/bromidedominancetheory.html

Our body is full of receptors – this is something I have learned over the past two years. Just as an abundance of estrogen creates a hormone imbalance, taking over progesterone receptors, essential minerals do the same thing. Bromine and iodine compete for receptors, and it seems that bromine wins – preventing iodine from being absorbed and used by your very important thyroid gland.

If this is not reason enough to read labels and take heed – bromine and iodine deficiency is also linked to breast cancer and other cancers.

Chlorine is also on the halide list, an endocrine disruptor. As we gear up for summer and swimming pool season – my family will utilize the knowledgeable staff at Patio Pleasures, in Madison for their “green” pool option to chlorinated chemicals.

If you are struggling with weight gain, especially mid-section, in all likelihood there is a hormone imbalance – thyroid is a hormone just as is estrogen and progesterone – and all work together. Progesterone is, in fact, a precursor to the thyroid hormone. If you are deficient on both progesterone and thyroid – yikes, problems may be forthcoming!

Bromine not only decreases iodine receptors, it also INCREASES ESTROGEN reception and DECREASES PROGESTERONE receptors. Goodness, in my mind this makes it all the more dangerous as an ingredient and ranks right up there with petro-chemicals!

I hope today’s post helps you become more aware of environmental factors affecting your health. How to counter the underactive thyroid epidemic? Try to greatly reduce the foods and products mentioned above. My family claimed victory to find a bread that is not made with high fructose corn syrup – and now, it looks like we will have to look for the B ingredient on the label. Personally, I am happy to have written bread primarily out of my life!

 If your hormones are out of balance (you can find plenty of articles in this blog that discuss this in further detail – search for “hormone”), find a doctor, or  health practitioner experienced in BIO-IDENTICAL hormone therapy.

Of course, consume iodine (but remember, avoid the bromine or your body won’t utilize the iodine as needed) – use a Celtic or Himalayan sea salt containing iodine and known for its healing properties (I have found amazon.com to offer these salts reasonably), and look for dietary supplementation containing iodine. Our family, both adults and kids, utilize a daily power pack of vitamins containing iodine with a high rate of bio-availability (10,000 ORAC), and as well – our vegan, pea based protein powder also contains iodine.

Readers of my blog…what do you think after reading this? I don’t know if you find this helpful information, or if it makes you think one can’t enjoy food and life for fear of ingredients.  Let me make it clear – we don’t lose sleep over this. We simply took action – we have found brands that are pure and safe, we have our grocery shopping list fine-tuned with the research behind . We enjoy eating as much as the next family  – and feel great because of our choices.  It may take a bit to get started, but as my husband said this evening after his first bike ride of the season, “it feels great to climb a hill with ease that would have “killed me” a year ago”.  This man has probably not had a "workout" since the last biking season - and he did not lose breath or run out of energy! Purely living is a lifestyle, and it makes life great to live!

To your health,

Rita S.

Cancer "Do Nots"

Recently I learned about an organization called the American Anti-Cancer Institute, as it endorses the skincare and nutrition products that my company offers. I love that…as the anti-cancer perspective IS the greatest reason I got into the business of offering Swiss-formulated, pure, safe and beneficial products.
It is a site worth perusing. I will share a few items from their site. I encourage you to send people who have cancer to this site, and also to support this organization with monetary donations if you are considering year end contributions.
I am glad to note that my family has already taken action towards many of the items on the “avoid these” lists. We have not cut out the microwave completely, but are reducing its use. We bought a teapot for heating water after learning that microwaved water is essentially “dead” water, as the microwaves change the molecular structure. Someday I hope we can afford a filtered water system, but at least we have well water and are not subject to chlorinated city water.
AACI "AVOID THESE" ANTI-CANCER CHECKLIST
1. Stop drinking and bathing in tap water; use a chlorine shower filter
2. Stop using flouride toothpaste
3. Stop using anti-perspirant; (you've got armpits for a reason) Deodorant, OK, if non-aluminum
4. Stop using teflon coated cookware
5. Stop cooking most of your food, go raw as much as possible
6. Cut out TV dinners and microwave cooked food
7. Discard dairy products except for the Budwig protocol (occasional goat milk OK)
8. Stop drinking regular and diet sodas, products with added sugar and/or aspartame, and acid-forming beverages including sports drinks. Stop drinking bottled water. Use filtered water and if possible, ionized water.
9. Cut down red meat consumption -- once per week acceptable, if organic
10. Don't eat farm fed fish, buy it Wild, please

There is MUCH MUCH information to take in on this site. I have only just begun, and downloaded the e-book. I look forward to delving into that as soon as I am done reading The China Study.

To your health!
Rita S.

More Benefits of Green Tea

I have shared previously benefits of green tea – you can find those when you search for green tea within my blog. Today may be a partial recap, but Dr. Andrew Weil’s e-news of the day shares five reasons why green tea is his beverage of choice. I thought I would pass along his words of wisdom:
1. Lower cholesterol levels and rates of heart disease.
2. Helps protect against bacterial infections
3. Promotes joint health and stronger bones.
4. Reduces inflammation.
5. Enhances the effects of antibiotics, even against drug-resistant bacteria and super bugs.
Green tea is a potent source of catechins – antioxidants that inhibit cancer cell activity and help boost immunity.
The most common objection I hear about green tea is “I don’t like the taste.” I have to admit, years ago that was my objection as well. When I first tried the Essentials herbal detox tea with milk thistle for liver support, I wasn’t grooving on it right away – because let’s face it, green tea is a far cry from chocolate macadamia nut coffee! But as I sipped the tea I began to enjoy the flavor. Mentally, if you KNOW what you are drinking is going to provide amazing health benefits inside your body, the taste becomes pleasurable. Dear readers, I have said this before and I will repeat myself – our bodies are wired to eating garbage. Mine had been programmed for years to eat the processed, unhealthy choices I was making – I had formed brain triggers to crave these unhealthy foods!
Once you make the decision to eat healthier it has to become a mindset. You don’t try something once, and go “yuck” and quit. LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE! What is going to happen to your body if you continue to drink a diet soda (or more than one) every day? Have you seen that list of aspartame effects I posted a few weeks ago – holy cow! Drinking poison would at least be a quicker and perhaps less painful death!
Where are you headed in your health journey? I see the big picture, do you? Doctor up your tea if you must. I recommend agave nectar over honey for the lower glycemic index, or Stevia - a natural sweetener often found in individual packets. Do not use artificial sweeteners! Freshly squeezed lemon might also make a nice addition to your green tea- don't use the processed stuff in a bottle.
Dr. Russell Blaylock states in his August newsletter, and I firmly believe this is true: “…when God made man, he made plants for use as man’s medicines. When we look closely at how these incredible plant extracts can work on a molecular level, it becomes obvious they were created to work with our cells and tissues, both to protect us and to cure many of our diseases. Evolution simply cannot explain the relationship between man and his environment.”A few weeks ago I saw a video as a part of the Truth Project –Science part 2. There was a powerful computerized animation of how our body is made – DNA, cell structure, molecules – transporters, messengers, connectors – we are truly miraculously made, and not a random creation out of chaos. God created man along with plants and animals, not skyscrapers and pollution. He provided everything we needed to live a life filled with pure, safe and beneficial goodness. As hard as it may seem in this modern day of living, I think it is worthwhile to try and reclaim as much of what God had intended as we possibly can.

To your health!
Rita S.

Fizzies Are Better than Coffee

I had an email from one of the natural health doctors, promoting a formulation they have come up with for a caffeine kick that is better than coffee – and lo and behold…the key ingredient is found in the AB Fizzy Tabs- guarana from the Paullinia cupana plant. Fizzy Tabs also replenish Vitamin B, which is depleted by stress.

More and more, research is indicating the detriment of diet soda. If you become aware of it, why would you NOT want to wean yourself off of toxic diet soda and find a healthier substitute? Of course it will be difficult…soda is an addiction just like cigarettes, and I am not saying it will be easy. Read this article found at Virginia Hopkins Health Watch and learn why you should give it up. In short, common soda ingredients do this:
1. artificial sweeteners in soda are excitotoxins, which kill brain cells
2. prohibits calcium absorption, which leads to osteoporosis
3. increases insulin production, which weakens blood vessels and increases risk of stroke
4. excess caffeine taps out adrenal glands, leading to fatigue and hormone imbalance
5. destroys tooth enamel, leading to decay

The doctor, in his news report, wrote:
Guaranine, is a member of the caffeine family, but unlike regular caffeine, it's full of healthy fatty acids. The good fat gives guarana a slow release. Its effect will gradually increase over a period of hours. It doesn’t pick you up and throw you down like quick release caffeine. There’s no crash with this stuff… and you don’t get any of the nervous, jittery energy you do with caffeine. Caffeine gets a bad rap sometimes, but it’s the most widely used drug in the world. And it’s a proven mental performance booster. The studies number in the hundreds. One published in Neurology found that three cups of coffee a day cuts your risk of mental decline by over 50%.
But there’s a catch… Coffee gives you a short burst of energy, but overheats and excites your body. Guarana has a cooling action that revitalizes and relaxes. The end result is more beneficial to your body. You get all the energy and alertness but remain calm, cool and collected. Guarana works its magic by releasing acetylcholine in your brain. Acetyl-choline is a neurotransmitter. It's the brain chemical that lets your nerve cells fire through the synapse or gap that exists between the trillions of neurons in your brain.
If you have lots of acetylcholine, your mind is sharp and your memory is clear. When you drink coffee in the morning, the release of acetylcholine gives you the buzz that gets you going. Coffee, on the other hand, will burn you out because it depletes your reserve of acetylcholine. Guarana is slow acting with none of the caffeine side effects, but it works in the same way. Eventually you lose your reserve of acetylcholine.

What’s your drink of choice? Is it pure, clear water? For all of us, it should be. But for most of us…it is not. If you simply cannot drink water, make a healthy choice. Watch out for the energy drinks that have heavily processed ingredients, high levels of fructose/sugars and carbs. In addition to replenishing B vitamins, Fizzy tabs (which are not heat processed) also contains 176% daily recommended value of Riboflavin. Why is that important?

Per 101lifestyle.com, Riboflavin increases the metabolism of carbohydrates,fats and proteins.It is essential for normal tissue maintenance, aids digestion and helps in the functioning of the nervous system.It prevents constipation,promotes a healthy skin,nails and hair,and strengthens the mucous lining of the mouth,lips and tongue.Riboflavin also plays an important role in the health of the eyes and alleviates eye strain.This vitamin is particularly helpful in counteracting the tendency towards glaucoma. My chiropractor also said that Riboflavin deficiency is a major cause of Restless Leg Syndrome.

Diet soda drinkers beware…you are not doing yourself, or your family, and flavors by drinking it – and allowing your children to drink it. Fizzy Tabs are safe and beneficial, and come in both citrus and pomegranate flavors. God gave us the ability to make decisions, and the responsibility to provide our bodies with nutrition. Of course what you drink is your choice, just as your overall health and well being is your choice as well.

A toast to your heatlh!
Rita S.